Man Narrates How He Was Abducted, Tortured, Imprisoned For ‘Exposing Corrupt Activities Of Nigerian Police Officers’

Forum 11 months ago

Man Narrates How He Was Abducted, Tortured, Imprisoned For ‘Exposing Corrupt Activities Of Nigerian Police Officers’

A Nigerian man identified as Chukwunenye Nweke, who hails from Anambra State in southeast Nigeria has told his heartbreaking story.

He narrated how he was allegedly ambushed, abducted and tortured by the police.

Nweke also alleged that he was kept in a police cell at Zone 9 on January 10, 2O23, by officers of the Monitoring Unit, Zone Police Headquarters, Umuahia, Abia State.

Narrating his ordeal, Nweke told SaharaReporters that he did not commit any crime except that he reported some corrupt activities of the officers of the zone to the Force headquarters, Abuja in line with the directive of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), that Nigerians should always report criminal and corrupt activities committed by police officers and individuals across the country.

Nweke said he was “abducted” by officers of the Monitoring Unit of Zone 9, Umuahia while he was on his way to meet with the AIG Zone 9 and was arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Umuahia North, Abia State.

According to him, he was denied access to a lawyer, family members or phone.

He said, “I was abducted on January 10, 2023, by officers of the Monitoring Unit, Zone 9, Umuahia. I did not commit any other crime other than complying with the instruction of the Inspector General of Police which directed that all Nigerians who have information on crime or corruption should always provide the police with the information on official corruption or crimes by police officers or individuals.

“On December 1, 2022, I wrote a series of letters to the Police Force Headquarters, Abuja, and copied same to the Chairman of the Police Service Commission; the Deputy Inspector General of Police in Abuja, complaining about police official corruption by CSP Lalla Bitrus, the police officer in charge of Zone 9.

“After the letter, I issued a press statement regarding the case and the press statement got the attention of the Police PRO, Abuja, CSP Olumuyiwa. Through his WhatsApp phone number, he told me that he had minuted the matter to the AIG Zone 9 and he urged me to meet the AIG Zone 9.

“In January 2023, I travelled from Anambra to meet with the AIG Zone 9, behold, I was abducted by Oko Solomon and Inspector Orji Ndukwe and I was not allowed to see the AIG Zone 9. I was charged with cyberterrorism and I was taken to court and remanded in prison.”

He said he was handcuffed by Inspector Ndukwe and his colleagues like a violent criminal, and that he was not given a fair hearing by the magistrate court before he was remanded in Umuahia Correctional Centre, while the case was adjourned to Sine die.

According to him, Zone 9 Police Command registered the case with charge number: U/14c/2023, between the Inspector General of Police and Mr. Chukwunenye Nweke.

Nweke further said that Inspector Ndukwe, Oko Solomon and one of their colleagues while taking him to prison, cautioned him to stop demanding justice over the criminal activities allegedly masterminded by one Mrs. Aguiyi Anuli Ihuoma. 

Nweke said Oko Solomon, Inspector Orji Ndukwe and other officers told him that before he would engage Mrs Aguiyi in a case, he should go and make money as ‘she has already made money and has connections’.

He alleged that Oko Solomon and his colleagues threatened to end his life if he continued to push for justice against their unprofessional conduct and that of CSP Lalla Bitrus and some of their colleagues.

He said that his Android phone was unlawfully seized by the police personnel and that his family members, friends and counsel met with the Officer in Charge (O/C) of the Monitoring Unit of Zone 9, Umuahia.

According to him, they demanded the release of the phone to them but the O/C told them that charge No: Um/14c/2023 between him (Nweke) and the IGP was allegedly filed at Umuahia North Magistrate Court 8 by the IGP.

He said the O/C also told them that the requested mobile phone and other documents linked to the case were in the custody of the IGP in Abuja.

Therefore, the O/C reportedly asked him to take his application for the release of the phone and other documents to the IGP in Abuja.

SaharaReporters contacted the Public Relations Officer of Zone 9, Umuahia, simply identified as DSP Ihunanya, for comments on the matter.

She requested the details of the case to enable her to process her response but more than 24 hours after reading the details of the case provided to her on WhatsApp, she has yet to respond.

She also did not respond even after a reminder was sent to her.